Where this all started – part 1

During this Thanksgiving season, I though I would tell the story of how I was diagnosed. Remarkably it took a few years, so hold on – it’s gonna be a wild ride/read. I am going to split it up over several days so you are not reading for hours in one sitting.

In April of 2002, my lower back starting hurting pretty badly. I thought I had pulled a muscle or something. After a few days of pain, I finally went to the urgent care doctor. When he noticed where my back pain really was, he had me do a urine test and tested my blood sugar. The doctor told me that I had a kidney infection and that normal people don’t get those out of the blue so there had to be a reason. He said my blood sugar was 208 and called my mom in – I was just barely 21 and she was in the waiting room.

The doctor then told us that I was diabetic. Needless to say, I was shocked. He gave me some Glucophage. He said I needed to make a follow-up appointment with my regular doctor to see if I had any complications.

I have to admit, I wasn’t really that scared or upset. Mostly because I had no idea what was going on. I don’t know how upset my mom was either because I ended up driving back up to my college that night. My living area was having a little get together so I stopped by. They knew I was going to the doctor so I told them what he had said.

Would you believe that there was a pumper in the room? When I think back over my story I am amazed at how much God is in the details. Even when I didn’t realize it then, He was really looking out for me. She heard what the doctor had said and was very confused. She told me something didn’t seem right and I should see another doctor as soon as possible. She also gave me some advice on foods and such.

Over the next few days, I continued to take the Glucophage. I had several (what I realize now were) low blood sugars. Finally I had my appointment with my primary care physician. He was upset that the urgent care doctor had put me on pills, and immediately took me off of them. He said we can control what was going on with diet and exercise and gave me a meter to test with. He said if I ever got really sick or pregnant to come back in right away. That was it. So on my way I went with no goals and no idea what I was doing.

Looking back now, I have no idea why I did not immediately hop on the internet or do something to figure out what was really going on or to get more information than what the doctors were saying. That would never happen now – that’s for sure!

Stay tuned tomorrow for part two of the story – headed for DKA.